Fishtrap Lake WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Fishtrap Lake WMA is 13,138 acres of public hunting land in Pike County, in KDFWR's Northeast region. Hunters telechecked 44 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 22 antlered bucks among them. KDFWR's 2026-27 rule for the area: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: KDFWR's page for the area. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports, 2016-17 to 2025-26.
Fishtrap Lake WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 13,138 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Pike County |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 3 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 44 (22 antlered bucks, 20 does) |
| Elk | In the Elk Management Zone, hunting unit 7 |
| Elevation | Minimum 749 feet, maximum 1989 feet |
| Contact | 606-207-3385 |
| Nearest towns | Elkhorn City (4 mi), Pikeville (6 mi) and Coal Run Village (9 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Fishtrap Lake WMA?
KDFWR lists these rules for the area. Where it says the area is open under statewide seasons, the county's zone rules apply.
Fall Hunting Season
- Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
Exceptions
- Close for October muzzleloader deer season. Open for December muzzleloader deer season.
- Closed to modern gun deer season except for the quota hunt.
Source: KDFWR's page for Fishtrap Lake WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Fishtrap Lake WMA?
Hunters telechecked 44 deer on Fishtrap Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 22 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 20 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 26 deer a season, from 8 in 2017-18 to 44 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 44 | 22 | 20 | 35 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2024-25 | 36 | 24 | 11 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 39 | 23 | 15 | 33 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 2020-21 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 33 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by public land. Antlered bucks are KDFWR's count of males with visible antlers; the rest of the males are button bucks.
Spring turkey telechecked on the area: 8 in 2025, 17 in 2024, 10 in 2023 and 12 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Fishtrap Lake WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 96.41% forest, 3.08% open land, 0.46% open water and 0.05% wetland. Elevation runs from 749 feet to 1989 feet.
Which county is Fishtrap Lake WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 13,140 | 3 | 1,632 | 31st |
Acres measured by FilledTag on KDFWR public hunting area boundaries and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. County harvest: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Zones: KDFWR current deer zones.
How do you get to Fishtrap Lake WMA?
The WMA surrounds most of the shoreline of Fishtrap Lake. From Pikeville take US 460 south. KY 1789 leads to dam area, KY 1373 and KY 1499 lead to upper lake. Can access by boat. Very steep, rough terrain with narrow ridges and valleys; completely forested, primarily in hardwoods, with scattered openings. Opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating, birding on lake.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: US 460, KY 80, KY 3174 and KY 3741. Nearest towns: Elkhorn City (4 miles), Pikeville (6 miles), Coal Run Village (9 miles) and Wheelwright (18 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Continental Hunting Access Area (next to it), RH Group WMA (next to it), Betterment Wildlife Hunting Access Area (3.7 miles) and Legacy WMA (8 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Fishtrap Lake WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Fishtrap Lake WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Fishtrap Lake WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 44 deer on Fishtrap Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 22 antlered bucks and 20 does. The most taken with firearms (35).
What county is Fishtrap Lake WMA in?
All of it is in Pike County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Fishtrap Lake WMA in?
Pike County is in Zone 3. Up to four deer. Only one antlerless deer with a firearm or air gun. Area rules can be stricter than the zone's, as listed above.
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Where these numbers come from
- Area rules, size, habitat, contact and directions: KDFWR, Fishtrap Lake WMA.
- Deer, elk and turkey harvest on the area: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by public land. County harvest: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county.
- Boundary: KDFWR public hunting area boundaries. Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. National forest and refuges: U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from KDFWR or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.